Automatic turret revolving device



April 9, 1935. c. M. OTIS ETAL 7 AUTOMATIC TURRET REVOLVING DEVICE FiledDec. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l BY v M %%v?7?v ATTOR EYS April 9, 1935.

Filed Dec. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll III .wm .m%. mw m mmm izv VEN T0R5 BY I m wwf-w ATTOR 5Y8 April 9,, 1935. c, OTIS ET AL 1,997,230

AUTOMATIC TURRBT REVOLVING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qu l a II J. N a

A O N EYS April 9, 1935. c. M. OTIS El AL 1,997,230

AUTOMATIC TURRET REVOLVING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTORS C/fl/PLESMOT/S MoJLfMA/flfFKPEA/i ATTOR N EY April 1935- c.M.- OTIS ET AL 1,997,230

AUTOMATIC TURRET REVOLVING DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTORS (M/P463 0776 BY ALEXANDER Z1. .DfA/Y ATTORN 5Y5 Patented Apr.9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 1,997,230 7 AUTOMATIC runnerREVOLVING nEvIon Charles M. Otis, Cincinnati, Oh o, and Alexander K.Dean, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to American Laundry Machinery Company,Cincinnati,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application llecember 15, 1930, Serlai'No,502,390

15 Claims.

Ourinvention relates to an ironing machine and, particularly, to anironing machine embodying a plurality of forms extending radially from asingle rotating member that is generally termed 5 a turreting table and'means for automatically moving the respective forms into and out ofiron,- ing position.

, Heretofore, ironing machines of the above have embodied acentrallylocatedrotatingmember and a plurality of forms extendingradially or, diametrically outwardly therefrom but these devices haveembodiedno means for automatically moving the individual forinsinto andout.

of ironing position, such movement or 'rackin of the forms being done byhand.

One object of our, invention is ironing machine of the above typeembodying operatomoperated means for; controlling the movement, of theforms into ironing i;relation with an, ironing member after they havebeen moved intoalignment therewith and automati cally operating meanscontrolled, by the actuating mechanism'for moving the forms into and outof ironing engagement with the ironing member for intermittently. movingthe respective forms disposed about the central rotating means intoalignment with the ironing member.

Various other objects and advantageous features of our, invention willbe seen in the following description and one embodiment thereof may beseen in the accompanying drawings wherein similar charactersof referencedesignate corresponding parts, and wherein;

Figure 1' is a plan view of an ironing machine embodying our invention;Figure, 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in-elevation and partly insection, showing the latching means for the tur-' reting table and themain valve operating mech-- anism forming a part of our device; Figure3,

ure 6 is a sectional view showing the auxiliary valve in open position;Figure '7 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the controlmeans for the main-operating valveof the device; Figure'il is an endview partly in section and partly in elevation showing the ironing form5 to provide an in two positions; namely, the full line position, whenthe ironing form is out of en fl iqment. with the ironing member; andthe dot-dash line position, when the ironing form'is in ironingengagement with the heated ironing member; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational viewof an ironing machine embodying ourinvention. e e

Referring to the drawings, wehave shown one embodiment of our inventionas comprising ironing machine having a base I and a heated ironingmember 2 mounted" upon a support 3, the heated ironing member having thecustomary steam inlet 4, The ironing machine also consists of aplurality of forms or bedsji, there being two forms or beds in thisinstance each provided with a yoke pressing member 5'. One of thesepressing,

members is shown disposed beneath'the ironing member 2 :and the other ina position to receive thegoods tob'e ironed and thepre'ssing members-being mounted upon orjoined to a rotating means or turreting tablet bymeans of radially extending arms -'I.' as shown by the dotted lines inFigure l, one'of the beds 5 is being moved out of alignment with theironing member 2and the other form which is diametrically "disposedrelative to the first form isbeing moved into alignment with the'ironin'g member due to rotation of the turreting table 6 on which thebeds aresupported. The turreting tableis disposed on a verticallyextending pedestal 8,

Practically the entire mechanism for moving the beds 5 into alignmentwith the ironing'mem ber 2 is supported on the base I, and theironingmember 2 is supportedby uprights 9 at 0p- 7 positejsides of thebase andin such position that the beds 5 will clear both i 01theuprights when moving into-or out of alignment with the"heated'ironing" member. In thisln'stance, the turreting table 6 is noton a' straight line between the uprights "9 butiis disposed laterallythereof.. h I a As shown in Figure 3, the means for rotating theturreting table 8 and thereby moving the respective forms 5 into or outof-alignment with the ironing member 2 consists of a cylinder III havinga piston ll therein, the cylinder being supported on the base' lby.-abracket l2; An-

exhaust conduit ll leads from the inside of the cylinder below the undersurface of the piston II toa conduit I through which air betweentheunder surface of the piston and the cone- 7 sponding surface of thecylinder will exhaust to the atmosphere when the piston l is being movedinwardly; A conduit l5 leads to'the inside of the cylinder Ill above thepiston ll whereby fluid pressuremay be delivered to and exhausted fromthe space between the upper surface of the piston and the correspondingsurface of the cylinder to move the piston intached to the extreme outerend thereof which all! Fisguided upon guiderods l3 and normally held inits outermost position, as shown in Figure 5, wherein the piston II isat the outermost end of the' cylinder [0, by means of compressionsprings l3 also disposed on the guide rods l8 and adjustable as to.tension by means of adjusting nuts 29 and by means of which the speedof outward travel of the head andpiston may be regulated or controlled.With this construction, the piston II is normally moved inwardly byfluid pressure entering the cylinder through the conduit l5 whereby thesprings 20 are compressedand is moved outwardly by theaction of thecompressed springs when the pressure above the 'piston'is released. r

The member or head I! has 'a link'2l attached thereto, the oppositeendof the link being pivotally secured to one end of an arm 22 that ispivoted as at 23 and forms an operating arm for rotating the turretingtable 6. Trigger mechanism consisting of a trigger 24 that is normallyheld inits outermost position wherein it engages a pin 25-on each oftheform supports by means of a spring v25 and is limited in its outwardmovement by' a flat surface 21 which engages a flat surface on they arm22 is carried by the opposite end of the arm from'that end to which thelink 2| is attached. "Movement of the end of the. arm 22 to which thelink. 2| is attached is controlledby an adjustable stop. 28 wherebyrotation of the arm 22 about its pivot mayberegulated. I,

In the operation of this part of theapparatus, when the bed 5 whichisinalignment' with'the ironing member 2 is out of ironing engagement withthe member, the turret operating mechanisni just described 'is'in thedot dash line position shown in Figure 3, wherein'the trigger 24 is outof engagement with the pin 25. However, when the aligned form andironing member are in ironing eng'agement, fluid pressure flows into thecylinder In above the piston .l I by. way of the conduit l5 as will behereinafter described to move the piston inwardly compressing or windingup the springsv l9 and moving the arm 22 to the full lineposition shownin Figure 3 wherein the'trigger engages the pin 25, such trigger passingthe pin 25 as the arm is rotated about its pivot in this direction dueto its resiliency through its pivotal mounting and the spring 26. 3

Then, upon release of pressure from the outer surface of the piston IIwhich takes place when the aligned form 5 is moved out of engagementwith theironing member 2, the springs l9 will move the head I! andpiston H outwardly with a quick action and rotate the arm 22 about itspivot, the trigger 24 through its engagement with the pin 25 of the formthat is in alignment with the ironing member moving theform 5 out ofalignment with the ironing. member and the other form 5 into alignmenttherewith by retating the turreting table 6, on the pedestal 8. As shownin Figure 2, a latching means consisting of alatch member 29 that isheld inits uppermost position by means of springs 39 and a latch pin 3|is provided for stopping the rotation of the turreting table 6 when oneform 5 is in alignment with the ironing member 2 and holding that formin such aligned position, as well as holding the other form in loadingposition.

As shown in Figure 8, a cylinder and piston construction is providedimmediately beneath the heated ironing member 2 in such position thatthe uppermost end 32 of a piston rod 33 that forms a part of a piston 34in a cylinder 35 will contact with the under part of the shaft or rod 18which is mounted immediately beneath the ironing forms 5, and'move theform upward into engagement with the heated ironing member for theironing action. The extending arms 1 of turreting table 6 are providedwith a cylindrical sleeve 19 which provides a bearing for shaft or rod18* of the ironing form, during its upward and downward movement. Aguide rod rigidly attached to ironing form 5 is provided and is disposedto move upward and downward through a sleeve provided in arm 8 I thusalways maintaining the ironing form in correct alignment with theironing member.

As shown in Figure 5 fluid pressure for raising the piston 34 to movethe'aligned form 5 upwardly flows through a supply pipe 36, through aconduit 31, past a'needle valve 38 for controlling'the rate of flow ofthe fluid pressure, past 'a valve '39 which is operable by a foottreadle 40,

and through'a j conduit 4| between'the under surface of the piston 34and the corresponding surface of the cylinder 35, the air or pressurebetween the uppersurface of the, piston 34 and the corresponding surfaceofthe cylinder 35 exhausting through a conduit 42 and exhaust conduitI4. r I

Reversely, the piston 34 ismoved downwardly by the weight of the form 5resting thereon, the fluid pressure between the under surface of thepiston 34 and the corresponding surface of the piston 35 exhaustingthrough the conduit 4i and ment thereof, the arrangement is such thatwhen the inlet valve 39 is opened the exhaust valve 45 will besimultaneously closed byaction of a spring 43' the operation of thesingle'foot treadle 40. Likewise, the arrangement is such that when itis desired tolower the form outof ironing engagement with the heatedironing member 2, operation of the'foot treadle v44 to cause opening ofthe D0rt 43 by movement of the valve 45 will permit the valve39 to beclosed by action lever arm 41, the other end of the lever arm carrying aroller 48 adapted to bear against the face of a cam element 49 thatisdisposed on one end of a lever arm 50 rigidly mounted on 'a shaft 5|.The cam 49 is of such shape that the lever arm 41 is turned so that thevalve 39 is normally in closed position and the valve is moved to openposition by means of the foot treadle 40 which has an extending portionthereof connected to one free end of the leverarm by means of a link 52.After once being moved to open position, the valve 39 will be maintainedtherein by the roller 48 engaging a raised portion 53 on the cam. 7

In alike manner, the exhaust valve 45 disposed in ahousing 45' andwhichis normally in closed position also, has its stem connected to one endof a lever arm 54 whose other free end carries'a roller engaging a cam55 that is oppositely disposed as regards the cam 49 and is rigidly.mounted on the same shaft 5|. -Such valve is movedto open positionagainst the resistance of the spring 43' bydepressing a foot'treadle 44which has a portion thereof connected to a crank arm 51 by means of alink58. Another part of the crank arm 51 is, in turn, connected -,to thefree end of the lever arm 59 which carries the cam 55 by means of a link50. With this construction, depression of the foot treadle 44. will movethe cam 55 upwardly,- the cam being so shaped as to move'the lever arm54 about its pivot in a direction to open the valve 45.- With. the cams"and 55 oppositely disposed and rigidly mounted on the same shaft, itwill be apparent that movement of one cam to open one valve will operatethe other cam to close thevalve controlled thereby or vice versa.

the turreting table and forms will be released and the turreting tablemaybe rotated inthe manner hereinafter described on downward movement ofthe piston 34 and ,downwardmovement of the forms under their own weight.

Means have been provided for causing rotation of the turreting table 5immediately on the form 5 which has been in ironing'engagement with theironing member 2 reaching its lowermost position; As shown in Figures}and 4, an auxiliary valve 5 I. controlling the flow of fluid pressure tothe outer surface of the piston l whereby the piston is moved inwardlyand thetrigger mechanism-set as hereinbefore. described,.is operablelbythe upward and downward movement .of the form 5 which is in alignmentwith the ironing member 2 through a system of levers which each formengages as 'it moves into aligned position with the pressing member. V

The means for operating the auxiliary valve 5| consists of a lever 52pivoted to'the frame as at 53 and having a slot'and pin connection withanother lever 54 which is pivotally mounted as at 55 to an upright 55 onanother part of the frame whereby the yoke may move out of engagementwith the stud 10 as the form completes its cycle of movement fromaligi'iment with thehead to the loading and unloading station. Also, thelever 54 is connected to the upper end of the sliding portion 12 of theauxiliary "valve 5| by means of a link 13. r f

In the operation ofthispart of the apparatus, which is a means forautomatically causing rota tion of the turreting table 5 as each form 5reaches -its lowermost position after ironing engagement with theironing member 2, as each form .5 moves into alignment with the ironingmember 2 due to rotation of the turreting table 5, the stud or beforedescribed, the yoke member will move upwardly with the form and in doingso will engage the stud or pin." on the lever 52' and the levers '52 and54 will be moved ,to the dash and dotline position. shown in Figure 4during which movement the sliding portion 12 of the auxiliary; I I

valve 5| will be raised. In. a reverse manner;

when the aligned form 5 is permitted to lower un-:

der 'itsown weight due to the operation of the foot treadle, 44- andrelease of pressure from be neath the piston 34 as hereinbeforedescribed;

the levers 52-and 54:.will be-moved tothe full line a position shown inFigui'e*-=.yvherein the sliding portion 12 of the auxiliary valve.. 5|will be moved downwardly'to the position shownin' Figure 5, the weight59 at theifree end of. the lever 52 being provided to assure the returnof the ley'ers52 and 54 to their original starting position and thedownward movement or closure ofthe sliding portion. 12 of the auxiliaryvalve 5|.

. Upward movement of the sliding portion 12 of the valve 5| will permitfluid under pressure to: I flow from the supply pipe 35 past the cutaway portion-"l1 of the sliding; member and through the conduit l5 intothe cylinder [5 between the side of the piston exhausting'through theconduit l3 and exhaust conduit '|4. Thus, the setting of the triggermechanism and compression of the springs I9 is automatically broughtabout by the upward movement of the aligned form 5 into ironingengagement :with the ironing member 2.

/ After the ironing operation is completed, the form 5 is loweredashereinbefore described, and the auxiliary valvev operating leversreturned to their normal position wherein the sliding member 12 ismoved. downwardly to the position shown in Figure 5 or tocloscdposition, the fluid pressure that holds the piston H in such positionthat the .springs I! are compressed will exhaust thioughthe conduit I 5,through a port [4 inthe stem of the sliding member 12 and intothehollow, interior thereof, through a conduit 15, andinto the exhaustconduit ,|4 whereby the com-L- 65" pressed springs |9 may act to rotatetheturreting table 5 and reverse the position of the diametricallydisposed forms 5 as hereinbefore de-v scribed. The cycle Justdescribedisfrepeatedat the movement Ofeach individual form into erated meanswhich includes the foot treadles for operating the main valve forcontrolling the movement of the bed that is aligned with'the ironinghead into and out of ironing relation with. the head and haveprovidedmeans operating automatically .which includes the slidevalve SI formoving the'beds alternately into and out of ironing alignment-with theironing head as well as a latching means operable by the operatoroperated means which releases an ironing bed from engagement with theironing head for holding the beds in their aligned position.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus 'of the class described comprising a plurality of ironingbeds mounted on supports in spaced relation about a point, an ironinghead, means including a vertically disposed cylinder and pistonconstruction positioned below the head and so arranged that theuppermost end of a' piston rod carried by said piston will coact withthe under side of an ironing bed in alignment therewithfor moving anironing bed upwardly into engagement with said ironing head, and meanscontrolled by movement of said ironing bed out of engagement with saidironing head for moving another bed into alignment with said ironinghead.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of ironingbeds mounted on supports in spaced relation about a point, an ironinghead, means including a vertically disposed cylinder and pistonconstruction positioned below the head and so arranged that theuppermost end of a piston rod carried by said piston will coact with theunder side of an ironing bed in alignment therewith for moving anironing bed upwardly into engagement with said ironing head, meanscontrolled by movement of said ironing bed out of engagement with saidironing head for moving another bed into alignment with said ironinghead, and latching means for maintaining said ironing beds in theirrespective positions.

3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a plurality of ironingbeds mounted on a rotatable support in spaced relation about a point, anironing head, means for moving a registered ironing bed into engagementwith said ironing head, and means controlled by movement of saidregistered ironing bed out of engagement with said ironinghead formoving said bed out of registry therewith, said bed moving meansincluding a trigger mechanism set by movement of said registered bedinto ironing engagement with said head and released by movement of saidregistered bed out of engagement with said head.

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a head member, arotatable frame having a plurality of bed members thereon adapted to becarried by frame rotation into and out of registry with said headmember, means for producing relative ironing movement between said headand bed members when in registry, frame rotating mechanism, and controlmeans therefor operable by relative approach and separating movement ofsaid members to produoe'operation of said mech-' anism and framerotation, said control means including means for vitalizing' the framerotating mechanism by relative approach movement of said members, andmeans for rendering said frame rotating mechanism effective as a framerotating means by relative separating movement thereof.

5. Apparatusof the class described, comprising 7 a rotatable frame, aplurality of ironing beds in spaced relation thereon, an ironing headabove the path of rotating movement of the beds, means including avertically arranged piston positioned to rotate said frame and bringsuccessive beds into registry with said head.

6. Ironing apparatus, comprising a head member, a movable frame, aplurality of bed members on said frame adapted to be carried by framemovement into and out of registry with said head member, means forproducing relative ironing approach movement between said head and a bedmember in registry therewith, and frame moving mechanism including aspring, means for placing and maintaining said spring in stressedcondition by relative'approach movement of said head and a bed inregistry therewith, means for releasing said spring by relativeseparating movement of said head and bed, and a connection between saidspring and said frame.

7. Ironing apparatus, comprising a head memher, a rotatable frame, aplurality of bed members on said frame adapted to be carried by framerotation into and out of registry with said head member, means forproducing relative ironing approach movement between said head and a bedmember when in registry, and frame rotating mechanism including aspring, means for placing and maintaining said spring in stressedcondition by relative approach movement of said head and a bed inregistry therewith, means for releasing said spring by relativeseparating movement of said head and bed, and a connection between saidspring and. said frame including a trigger mecha nism set by relativeapproach movement of said member in registry therewith, and meansactuated by said relative ironing movement of said head and bed membersfor causing rotation of said frame. I

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising an ironing head, aplurality of ironing beds mounted on a frame and movable selectivelyinto registration beneath the head, means including 'a' verticallydisposed cylinder and piston construction positioned below the path oftravel of the beds and having an operative connection arranged to coactwith an ironing bed in registering position for moving said bedvertically into engagement with said ironing head, and

sitioned below the path of travel of the beds and having an operativeconnection arranged to coact with an ironing bed in registering positionfor moving said bed vertically into engagement with said ironing head,and means actuated by vertical movement of said bed for moving said bedout of registering position.

11. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a head member, amovable frame having a plurality of bed members thereon adapted to becarried by frame movement selectively into and out of registry with saidhead member, means for producing relative approach and separatingmovement of said registered head and bed members, frame movingmechanism, and control means therefor including means for vitalizingsaid mechanism by relative approach movement of said members, and meansfor rendering said vitalized mechanism effective to move the frame byrelative separating movement of said members.

12. A pressing machine comprising a movable pressing member arranged totravel freely along a substantially horizontal path, a fixed pressingmember adjacent said path and arranged to coact to perform a pressingoperation with said movable member when said members are in registry,power means operative to kick said movable member a short distance alongsaid path, the parts being so arranged that said movable member leavingsaid power means travels by its own momentum an additional distancealong said path into registry with said fixed pressing member, and meansto effect said pressing operation when the members are in registry.

13. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a head, a bed movableina horizontal plane into and out of registry with said head and movablevertically into and out of ironing engagement therewith, means formoving said bed in said plane, means for moving said bed vertically,

and operative connections between the two means for vitalizing the firstnamed means when the second-named means moves in into-engagementdirection and for rendering said vitalized means effective to move thebed when the second-named means moves in out-of-engagement direction.

14. In a pressing machine, an ironing head, a rotatable structureincluding a bed movable by structure rotation into and out of registrywith said head, power means for lifting said registering bed intoengagement with said head, means for releasing said power means wherebysaid bed is free to descend, means cooperating with said structureduring descent of said bed for rotating said structure to move said bedout of registry, and said last named means being put in operativecondition to perform its function during the bed lifting operation ofsaid power means.

15. In a pressing machine, a pressing head, a rotatable frame, apressing bed movable by frame rotation into and out of registry withsaid head, power means adapted to raise said bed when in registrationinto engagement with said head, frame rotating means, and meansrendering said frame rotating means effective by movement of saidbedupward and then downward as it moves into and out of engagement with thehead.

. CHARLES M. OTIS.

ALEXANDER K. DEAN.

